LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

S C H O O L O P E R A T I O N S
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 JANUARY 2010

MESSAGE FROM THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT

Dear Colleagues,

The very best to each of you in this new year!

The holiday break was a wonderful time to remember and reflect on the many
successful initiatives we have accomplished for the past year. It is also a perfect
time to think of what is ahead of us to achieve more great things.

As always, we are excited to work with all of you to continue what we started and
successfully accomplish our goals and objectives for this school year.

CONTACT US:
(213)241-5337 Sincerely,

SCHOOL OPERATIONS
Wayne Scott-Moore, Director Earl R. Perkins
(213) 241-4977 • wayne.scott.moore@lausd.net

Cheri Thomas, Coordinator

(213) 241-4131 • cheri.thomas@lausd.net

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Bob Spears, Director
Emergency Services
(213) 241-3889 • bob.spears@lausd.net

CRISIS COUNSELING & INTERVENTION

Barbara Colwell, Interim Director
Crisis Counseling & Intervention
(213) 241-2174 • barbara.colwell@lausd.net

Holly Priebe-Diaz, Intervention Expert

(213) 241-5636 • holly.priebe-diaz@lausd.net

OFFICE OF HUMAN RELATIONS,

DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
Karen O’Riley, Interim Director
(213) 241-4170 • karen.oriley@lausd.net

Judy Chiasson, PhD, Coordinator

(213) 241-5626 • judy.chiasson@lausd.net

SCHOOL MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Bruce Takeguma, Coordinator
(213) 241-3344 • bruce.takeguma@lausd.net

Zsuzsanna Vincze, Coordinator

(213) 241-4139 • zsuzsanna.vincze@lausd.net

SUPPORT SERVICES
Sonya Oakley, Administrative Analyst
(213) 241-4152 • dsonya.oakley@lausd.net

Mina Hudson, Administrative Secretary

(213) 241-2597 • mina.hudson@lausd.net

Jan Moore, Administrative Secretary

(213) 241-4170 • jan.moore@lausd.net
 Schools shall commemorate the events as noted by California Education Code and LAUSD Board Rule 1102. Schools may
recognize the Holidays and dates with culturally relevant and responsive lessons, activities, projects, and assemblies
that connect to the core curriculum. Please refer to Memorandum 4413.1 for complete information.
If you have questions, please contact Karen, O’Riley, Director or Judy Chiasson, Coordinator,
Office of Human Relations, Diversity, and Equity at (213) 241-4170.

DATE  EVENT INFORMATION

New Year’s Day The federal holiday with its origin in Roman times, when
January 1  Ed Code 37220, Board Rule 1102 sacrifices were offered to Janus, the two-faced Roman
deity who looked back on the past and forward to the fu-
(Schools Closed) ture.

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God The Roman Catholic Holy Day that celebrates the mother-
January 1 (RC) hood of Mary.

Temple Day (B) The day when many Buddhists of all traditions, pay their
January 1 respects, and pray for good fortune for the new year at the
temple.

Vasant Panchami (H) Advent of Spring, sacred to Saraswati, Goddess of Learn-

January 3 ing.

Epiphany (RC, P) One of the three major Christian festivals, along with
January 6 Christmas and Easter. The visit of the three kings to baby
Jesus is celebrated twelve days after Christmas.

Armenian Christmas The Armenian Apostolic Church, also known as the Arme-
January 6 nian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 6.

Christmas (O) The day celebrated, on this day, by Eastern Orthodox and
January 7 Greek Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian Calendar.

Mahayana New Year (B) The New Year celebrated by Mahayana Buddhists
January 11‐13
World Religion Day (Ba) The day that fosters the establishment of interfaith under-
January 17 standing and harmony by emphasizing the common char-
acteristics found in all religions. The Bahá’í-sponsored
observance was established in 1950 by the Bahá’í s of
the United States. http://www.worldreligionday.org. Ob-
served the third Sunday in January.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday The day that celebrates the birthday of Martin Luther King,
January 18  Ed Code 37220, amended 1992, the late civil rights leader and winner of the 1964 Nobel
Peace Prize. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
(Schools Closed) Board Rule 1102 Observed the third Monday in January.

Tu B’shvat (J) The Jewish Arbor Day

January 30
 AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, also known as Black History Month, was created by Carter G. Woodson in the 1920s.
This month-long celebration is a time to reflect on the history, teachings and achievements of African Americans. Board Rule 1102.

DATE  EVENT INFORMATION

National Freedom Day The day that commemorates the signing of the 13th
February 1 Amendment, which abolished slavery in 1865.

Groundhog Day The legend has it that if the groundhog sees his shadow
February 2 on this day and returns to his burrow, winter continues for
six more weeks. www.groundhog.org

Lincoln’s Birthday This day was first formally observed in Washington, DC, in
February 12 1866, when both houses of Congress gathered for a memo-
Ed Code 37220 rial address in tribute to the assassinated president and is a
holiday in many states.

St. Valentine’s Day This day is the festival of two third-century martyrs both
February 14 named Saint Valentine. It may derive from an old pagan festi-
val or it may have been inspired by the belief that birds mate
on this day.

Lunar New Year The beginning of the Year of the Tiger. The most widely
February 14 celebrated Asian holiday.

Beginning of Orthodox Lent (O) The Orthodox observance of Lent. Eastern Orthodox and
February 15 Greek Orthodox Lent, period of fasting and penitence be-
fore Easter.

Parinirvana-Nirvana Day (B) The Mahayana Buddhist festival marks the anniversary of
February 15 Buddha's death usually observed the second Sunday in
February.

Presidents’ Day Though Washington’s birthday is February 22 and Lin-

February 15  coln’s birthday is February 12, the celebration of both is
Ed Code 37220, Board Rule 1102
(Schools Closed)  referred to as Presidents’ Day. Observed third Monday in
February

Take Your Family to School Week The National PTA sponsors this week for the purpose of
February 15‐21 building positive partnerships with parents and letting
children know that their families value education.

Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday (C) The last celebratory feast before Lent begins. It is cele-
February 16 brated in New Orleans, Mobile, Alabama, and certain Mis-
sissippi and Florida cities.

Ash Wednesday—Beginning of Lent is, a period of fasting and penitence observed by

February 17 Christian churches, lasting 40 days excluding Sundays.
Lent (C)
Date of Remembrance The anniversary of President Franklin Roosevelt’s signing
February 19 Executive Order 9066 that authorized the incarceration of
120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. Programs
on this date seek to educate the public about the fragility of
civil rights during wartime.

George Washington’s Birthday The holiday that celebrates the birthday of the first president
February 22 of the United States, born February 22, 1732, died 1799.
Observed as a federal holiday (Presidents’ Day) on the third
Monday in February.

Ayyám-i-Há or Intercalary Days This day begins a period of four days (five in leap year)
February 26‐March 1+ devoted to spiritual preparation for the Bahá’í fast, cele-
(Ba)
bration, hospitality, charity and gift giving.

Purim (J) The celebration of the deliverance of the Jews from a mas-
February 28 sacre by the Jewish queen Esther. Activities include read-
ing of the Book of Esther, gift exchanges, donations to the
poor and enactment of Purim plays.
 a fe
S
LAUSD schools are required to comply with California Education Section 32286 (a), dealing with the prepa-
ration of “safe school plans”. These plans address topics such as violence prevention, emergency prepared-
ness, traffic safety and crisis intervention. The District has developed the Model Safe School Plan (SSP) as
a template in the preparation of safe school plans for each of the District’s 900 schools. Please read Refer-
ence Guide 1242.6, Safe School Plans Update for 2009-2010 for more information.

SAFE SCHOOL PLAN DUE DATE CONTACT INFORMATION

Volume 1— Coordinated Safe and Healthy School Plan December 1, 2009 Cheri Thomas cheri.thomas@lausd.net (213) 241-4131

Volume 2— Emergency Preparedness October 1, 2009 Bob Spears bob.spears@lausd.net (213) 241-3889

Volume 3— Recovery Procedures October 1, 2009 Barbara Colwell barbara.colwell@lausd.net (213) 241-2174

IMPORTANT

All LAUSD employees are mandated reporters of suspected child abuse/neglect. State law applies to
certificated employees, health practitioners, school polices, employees of child care centers, instructional
aides, teachers’ aides, assistants, and classified employees as mandated reporters of suspected child
abuse.

It is the policy of Los Angeles Unified School District that all employees shall report instances of sus-
pected child abuse or neglect by telephone immediately, or as soon as practically possible, to an appro-
priate agency and shall prepare and send a written report thereof to the same child protective agency
called within 36 hours or receiving the information concerning the incident.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU IMMEDIATELY COMPLETE THE CHILD ABUSE TRAINING FOR 2009-2010 SY.
The training is available on-line through the School Safety or Office of School Operations websites. Also,
please note that Bulletin No. 1347.1, Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements has been up-
dated and is available on our website.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Cheri Thomas at (213) 241-5337.
 COMING
SOON INCIDENT REPORTING & COMMUNICATION
The Office of School Operations in collaboration with Local District Operation Coordinators (LDOC) and other
District divisions is developing the Incident Report Form to assist staff to easily access the form and to immedi-
ately document and report an incident. This process will:

 Help schools document an incident accurately

 Help schools resolve incidents to minimize disruption of instructional time and maintain a safe and orderly
environment
 Allow Local District and School Operations staff to receive all incident reports and to be able to assist
schools
 Compile information received which will be used for incident resolution and process improvement.

Please note that additional form/s must be completed for certain types of incidents to comply with legal require-
ments or District policy.

The form and additional information MAY BE ACCESSED SOON at www.lausd.net, Office of School Operations
website.

IMPORTANT!
Notify your LDOC of all incidents by telephone immediately.
 DIVISION OF RISK MANAGEMENT AND INSURANCE SERVICES

INTEGRATED DISABILITY MANAGEMENT BRANCH

CHECK YOUR
SCHOOL MAIL!

The Integrated Disability Management Branch (IDM) of the Division of Risk Management recently sent a complete set of man-
datory employment posters to every District school and office. Posting of these notices is required by state and federal stat-
utes. We are counting on administrators to ensure that all obsolete employment posters are removed and that the new em-
ployment posters are posted and remain posted at all times, to maintain compliance with these state and federal employment
laws and avoid financial penalties from regulatory agencies.

The IDM Branch consolidated nearly 20 required employment notices into three posters for the convenience of schools and
offices. The complete set of required postings includes:

 Regulatory Notice Posters 1 through 3 (blue lettering with revision date 9/09)
 Workers’ Compensation Posters (in English and Spanish)
 Industrial Welfare Commission Order No. 4-2001 (packet)
 “EEO is the Law Poster Supplement”

These employment posters provide information regarding discrimination and harassment, protected leaves, workers’ compen-
sation, safety and health, whistleblowers, wage insurance for disability and unemployment, minimum wage, and time off for
voting.

Please be sure to check your school mail for delivery of these mandatory employment posters. If you have any questions or
need to order posters in addition to those provided, please contact the Division of Risk Management & Insurance Services via
email at riskmanagement@lausd.net or at 213-241-3138.
 LOS ANGELES SCHOOL POLICE DEPARTMENT

“Thank you Chief Manion for the 39 successful years of service!”

LAUSD SERVICES

2002—2004
COMMANDER OF POLICE
Valley East, Valley West,
West Bureau

2004—2006
DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE
Valley East, Valley West,
West Bureau

2006—2009
CHIEF OF POLICE

Retired 12-31-09

1330 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015

Website: www.laspd.com

LASPD operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All calls for police services
should be directed to the Police Dispatch Center at (213) 625-6631.
In order to receive prompt and accurate service when calling to report a crime or other emergency incident,
please have as much of the following information available for the Police Communication Representative:
 What is the name and call back phone number?  Is there a suspect? If so, what is his/her name?
 What is your current location  Are there any injuries?
 What is the type of incident or crime?  Are there additional concerns or hazards involved?
 What is the location of the incident or crime?  Do you need any additional services?
 When and where did the crime or incident occur?  Are there any traffic issues/concerns?
 Is the crime or incident still occurring?
 Are there any weapons involved? REMEMBER to stay on the phone until Police
 How many people are involved? Communication Representative tells you it is okay
 Is there a victim? If so, what is his/her name? for you to hang up. Remain calm. Speak clearly.
 Highlights Best Practices

H.E.A.R.T. is a proactive group mediation program utilizing

the talents, skills and influence of elected and non-elected
student leaders.
Local District 1 successfully held their annual H.E.A.R.T. orientation to proactively and
effectively address the issue of reducing the violence on our campuses and to in-
crease racial and ethnic tolerance on our schools and communities.

The event was attended by all secondary schools represented by an Asst. Principal or
Dean, program sponsors, student leaders and a guest speaker who shared his experi-
ence in dealing with school conflict. Through this event, we can create a District and
a city where the violent resolution of conflict is no longer an option.

Principal Christopher Clark at Arminta Elementary

School in Local District 2 has developed a simple way
of accounting for all his classrooms during an emer-
gency. He has put every room on an a-frame easel us-
ing library book pockets. When he evacuates the cam-
pus he sets out the easel at the Incident Command
Center. When the evacuation starts, all the pockets
have a red card. As the classrooms send in their ros-
ters they are processed and put in the pocket in front
of the red card. The Assembly Area manager keeps
track of who is missing or has not turned in a roster by
just scanning the easel and looking for the red cards;
much quicker than going down a list.
 Are you able to tell whether a threat at your school is real? Should you report it?
What are the first steps in ensuring the safety of your staff and students?

We hope the tragedies such as Columbine and Virginia Tech will not occur in our Dis-
trict. It is a profound loss that causes educators throughout the country to seek out
assistance in the area of crisis situations.

Ten years ago in 1999, LAUSD established Threat Assessment Teams. Teams are
comprised of an administrator, a mental health professional, and School Police, with
consultation from the legal department. The role of this multidisciplinary Threat As-
sessment Team is to ensure the immediate response to and the effective resolution
of threatening situations at our schools.

Currently, Crisis Counseling & Intervention Services is conducting trainings by re-

quest from Local Districts and school sites. It also provides support as schools, of-
fices, and units request assistance as they go through the threat assessment inquiry
process.

Should you need assistance with training or support in threat assessment, please
contact Barbara Colwell, Interim Director at (213) 241-2174.

It’s the start of a new year, and what better time than now to reflect
and plan on how we may improve our relationships amongst our col-
leagues, students, parents and community stakeholders, than now.
Diversity in Los Angeles County means more than racial, national,
and ethnic backgrounds. We are also diverse in terms of age, gen-
der, religion, education, mental and physical abilities.
The following 10 Tips on Cross-Cultural Communication may assist you on how it’s done, what to do, and what not to do, while
building and maintaining positive relationships amongst a diverse community.
1. Remember that diversity has many levels and complexities, 6. Notice and remember what people call themselves, e.g.
including cultures within cultures, and overlapping cultures. African American or Black, Hispanic or Chicano, Iranian or
2. Expect others to be thoughtful, intelligent people of good- Persian, Korean or Asian, and use those terms.
will, deserving of respect.. 7. Give nonjudgmental feedback to be sure you heard what
3. Be willing to admit what you don’t know. you thought you heard.
4. Listen actively and carefully. 8. Remember that you are an insider to your culture, and an
5. Accept responsibility for any misunderstanding that may outsider to other cultures.
occur, rather than expecting the other person to bridge the 9. Look for aspects of the other culture that are admirable.
cultural differences. 10. Expect to enjoy meeting people with experiences different
than yours.
The aforementioned tips have been modified from the Tips of Cross-Cultural Communication developed by the Los Angeles County Hu-
man Relations Commission. For more helpful tips on human relations matters, please contact Holly Priebe-Diaz in the Office of Human
Relations, Diversity and Equity at (213) 241-5636 or email at holly.priebe-diaz@lausd.net.